


Rise, My Kindred

by Beautiful Chaos (Venkaskribbles)



Category: The Originals (TV)
Genre: F/M, Other, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-27
Updated: 2016-12-28
Packaged: 2018-07-18 14:05:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7318198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Venkaskribbles/pseuds/Beautiful%20Chaos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After years of sleep, it is time for the Mikaelsons to be reunited once again. But after so much heartache and pain, will they ever be able to find peace? (Rated E for later chapters)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note: Hey all! I've recently gotten the bug to start writing fics again, and right now I've got Haylijah under my skin. :) I do plan on finishing my other story "The Wolf Singing in My Veins", but I thought it would be fun to take two stories that are around the same timeline with cannon in two totally different directions. So please enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer, I do not own these characters!

Elijah, for the first time in his life, was uncertain about time.

They remained in the dream world of Freya's making, while Klaus suffered, and Hayley labored in the real world to find a cure, finding it was their own helplessness that threatened to make them mad, more than the unsure passage of time. This world was often inconsistent about the length or a day, or even a night. And try as they might, the four of them slowly began to lose track of the weeks and months as time passed in the nebulous way of dreams. They often wondered who controlled it, Freya insisted it was not she, perhaps Klaus, knowing only that the passage was at least consistent between the four of them.

All of this perhaps could explain Elijah's shock the first time he saw her. He had always felt the ghost of a presence, lingering at the edge of his mind, and thought perhaps Hayley was attempting to share her thoughts with him. But on this one particularly beautiful day, it was not Hayley he spotted peeking out from behind one of the many old trees surrounding their home.

Despite the clear passage of years since he had last set eyes upon her, he recognized the little girl instantly. His beloved niece.

She was beautiful. She had all of Niklaus' coloring, but her features were a small replica of her mother's face. Dark blonde hair just past her shoulders, tendrils curling softly in a chaotic profusion around a fair face with bright blue eyes. A strong sandy brown brow arched up over curious eyes that looked around their dream world with wonder, as if she too was surprised to be here. As she moved out from behind the tree, he could see that her features and limbs had lost the chubby softness of babyhood and had grown into the leaner angles of an active child.

Had so much time truly passed?

Elijah held his breath, afraid if he were to move he would shatter the moment, but he had to know..was she real, or a figment of his imagination? He leaned forward slowly from the bench where he sat, voice whisper quiet.

"Hope?"

She startled slightly at the unexpected sound of her name, but when she turned and saw he was the source of the question, a huge smile broke across her face.

"Uncle Elijah?!"

At the sound of her speaking his name, so clear and grown, an unexpected bark of wild joy escaped him. He nodded and threw his arms out to her moving from the bench to his knees on the ground.

With a shout and laugh of her own she leaped into his waiting arms. Her little body disappearing into his hug, she wrapped her arms around his neck squeezing him tight.

The unusual cacophony of joy in their typically sedate existence quickly brought Kol, Freya, and Rebekah to the backyard. And before anyone knew what had happened there was a pile of Mikaelsons on the grass, laughter and smiles and joy at this unexpected reunion.

Hope's form shuttered for a moment, blinking out.

The group fell silent instant, smiles vanishing from their faces.

A moment later, she reappeared with a look of focused consternation on her face, the same look they had all seen so often on Klaus' face when he was busy at his easel.

"I'm sorry! I was just too excited. I went back." She took a deep measured breath, that Freya and Kol recognized instantly. Someone had already begun training their niece in controlling her powers. Centered, a smile broke across Hope's face once again. "I'm so happy to see you, for real! I talk to you all the time, but you're always sleeping!" She nodded and deposited herself in Rebekah's lap, toying with a chunk of her aunt's hair, as if was an old habit.

Freya crossed her own legs and exchanged a glance with Elijah and Kol. This was their first chance to gain any information about the world outside, even if it came through the filter of their clearly gifted young niece.

"We are so happy to see you too sweetie. We've been pretty lazy huh, sleeping all the time?" She asked with a smile. Hope returned the smile and shrugged.

"Its ok, Mommy told me that it's not your fault, you have to keep sleeping until she can find the medicine to make you better." She paused, a serious look crossing her little features. "I hope she comes back soon. She promised she would be back in time for my birthday." Rebekah frowned slightly, pulling some of the riot of loose curls back from Hope's face, twisting them behind her ear.

"Where did your Mom go sweetheart?" She inquired gently. Hope heaved a great sigh, with a dramatic shrug of her little shoulders. Rebekah smiled, oh, there was more than a little Nick in her personality for certain.

"She went with Mr. Tosh and the Twins. She said she had to get the last part of the medicine to make Uncle Elijah and Uncle Kol better. Mr. Hollis and Ms. Cleia came to our house to to watch me, and I can hear they are nervous, they don't say it but they think it and…." another sigh. "She _promised_."

Elijah frowned, trying not to let himself contemplate the possible implications of Hayley's delay, or that Hope's powers already seemed to allow her to read errant thoughts and project herself into Freya's spell.

"Well your Mother keeps her promises Hope, I'm sure it was just a little more complicated than she thought." He offered a smile. Kol grinned, lightly tickling the bottom of her bare foot.

"How old are you going to be?" He inquired, watching her straighten up with pride. She held out six fingers.

"I'm turning 6!" She beamed.

The group sombered. Over three years. Three years of Klaus suffering. Three years of Hayley laboring to free them. Three years of missing Hope grow.

Little shoulders slumped, as she misinterpreted the sudden shift in mood. Elijah was first to force a small smile onto his face, holding out his hands to his suddenly sullen niece. She extracted herself from Rebekah's lap and went to him, tucking her head into his neck as he squeezed her into a hug.

"It's not you my sweet girl. We are just sad that we have missed so of your life." She lifted her head and leaned into the kiss he placed on her forehead, a twinge in his heart remembering the last time he had done the same to her mother.

She looked up suddenly, eyes staring off into the distance, a little pout appearing on her lips.

"Mr. Hollis is calling me. Its bedtime." She looked back at her aunts and uncles. "I want to stay."

Freya shifted to her knees and tugged on the edge of what she realized now was a pyjama dress.

"Its ok sweetheart. Using your magic like this must make you tired right?" Hope nodded. "Ok, well you go get some sleep. We are not going anywhere." She smiled, nodding. Hope extracted herself from Elijah's arms and gave each of them a kiss on the cheek.

"Night night!"

And just like that, she was gone.

 

 

 

_**To Be Continued.** _


	2. Chapter Two

It was almost two in the morning when they finally made it home. Hayley always found it amazing that despite her Hybrid body's ability to heal, how thoroughly tired she could feel. The deep ache of exhaustion in her bones made her come to terms with the knowledge that it was not physical exhaustion that could take the greatest toll on your body. It was exhaustion born in your heart.

She bid a quiet good evening to the Twins and Tosh, who were just as tired as she, but perhaps for different reasons. She watched their now-familiar shapes moving to their own corners of the massive house they all shared. She let her keen hearing extend until she could hear them all arrive safely to their rooms. It was silly, she knew. But in a way she felt responsible for all of them.

Moving silently, she just peeked into Hope's room rather than wake her, knowing that come morning there would be a tiny blonde ball of energy asking a million questions. Best let tiny sleeping dragons lay and get a few hours sleep while she still could.

Having checked on her daughter, Hayley moved to visit the rest of her family in their long sleep in the wine cellar. Saving Elijah's coffin for last, she reached out with a single finger, tracing along the curve of his cheek. She allowed a small hopeful smile to cross her own lips.

It is done, Elijah.

She straightened herself, knowing that even with the final bond she had made with the last of the Seven packs, and the alchemy-like mix of science and magic that lay ahead with the pack's blood, freely given from their Alpha, was an even greater trial to come. She had survived the previous five bonds, she only needed to survive one more. Resting her hand on Elijah's chest for a moment, she drew a little strength from his presence, even in sleep.

Alone, she made her way then to her own room. Taking a few seconds to strip out of her rumpled travel clothes, she pulled on some pjs and sunk into her own bed with a grateful sigh.

Several hours later, she blinked at the bright sunshine filtered into her bedroom window. Hayley took a precious moment to revel in the comfort of being in her own bed after over a week away, stretching beneath her sheets.

From her little bubble of solitude under the morning sun, her sharp hearing picked up the sound of little feet hitting the carpet from their bed across the hall. Hayley listened as Hope walked around her own bed to look out the window, a habit the little girl must have picked up over her mother's periodic absences. Seeing Hayley's car, the yelp of excitement that came from her would have been audible to even normal human hearing.

Hayley smiled scrunching her eyes together tightly to feign sleep. She had expected Hope to engage in their typical morning routine of her trying to sneak into bed without waking her mother, but that was not on Hope's agenda for this morning.

"Mommy!" Hope exclaimed, leaping into bed. Hayley's eyes flew open at the unexpected 45 pound child projectile landing on her abdomen.

"Well good morni…." She began, but instead of the snuggles she was expecting, Hope had already grabbed her hand and started to drag her out of bed. Hayley allowed herself to be kidnapped, snagging a lightweight robe to toss over her the tank and silk shorts she wore.

"I did it! I did it! You have to come see!" Hayley laughed and allowed herself to be dragged by her daughter down the hall towards the stairs. She tugged the long braid of hair out from under the collar of the robe, forgetting sometimes how long it had actually become since they left New Orleans.

"See what sweetheart?" She asked with genuine curiosity. Her daughter was usually both a unreformed snugglebug as well as a hater of mornings. So this boundless energy so early in the morning was highly unusual. Hope turned around and flashed her one of her mischievous one-sided grins that reminded Hayley of Klaus every time she saw it.

"It's a surprise!" Hope was so excited she was practically vibrating, dragging her mother down the passage to the cellar where the Mikaelsons slept. It was at this point Hayley began to worry. She barely had a handle on Hope's abilities that seemed to be expanding faster than she could keep track of. What had she been up to while she was away?

Hope hopped one of the little stools that was next to each of the coffins, a gift from Hollis who had grown exasperated with all the various household items Hope had been dragging down the stairs to get a look at her sleeping kin whenever he and his wife came over to watch her. Grabbing Freya's hand, Hope reached for her mother with her free hand. Hayley gave her daughter a suspicious look.

"Hope...I think you should probably tell me what this surprise is." She looked down at her attire, having heard the Twins, woken by the commotion were already on their way downstairs. "Or, at least let me get…" Hope grabbed Hayley's hand.

The world shuttered.

"...Some clothes on." Hayley finished, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the sudden change in lighting. She was in the middle of a beautifully kept garden. The house it was attached to was lovely and welcoming, reminiscent of the one they lived in now. It was late in the afternoon, the sky just beginning to tinge with the warmer colors of sunset. She exhaled the breath she hadn't realized she had been holding, looking down at Hope. Her little face brimming with pride.

"Hope…" Hayley swallowed hard, not wanting to let herself consider what might be happening. She couldn't get her heart in it if…. "Is this…"

"Well done, my brilliant little niece." Came Rebekah's voice from behind them. Turning on her heels, Hayley saw her friend's beautiful face, highly amused and proud of the little girl who had so casually dragged her mother into a world she had been trying to get into for years. Rebekah turned her head slightly, a knowing smile on her lips. "Oh Elijah! You may want to come outside, Hope's already back." She shouted. Elijah. Hayley's heart froze.

"Already?" She could hear amused Elijah's voice from inside the house. "She just left a few moments ago. Someone certainly has Inherited Niklaus'..."

"And mine!" Came Kol's voice from somewhere in the house.

"..rebellious streak." Elijah amended. "She is going to be quite the challenge when she is a te…." Elijah looked up as he swung the screened door open, freezing mid-sentence at the sight before him.

Hayley released Hope's hand taking a half step forward, barefeet sinking slightly into the grass. She could feel each blade of it along the sensitive flesh of her foot. It felt real. But she had dreamed this so often, could she really let herself believe…

Her weight shifted forward to the ball of her foot as she began to shake, as the weight of the past three years crashing into her. The chance it could be soon over...So many days and nights of loneliness, and doubt that she might never succeed, that she would ever save them, that Klaus might suffer forever. That she may never truly see Elijah again slammed into her chest.

She couldn't breathe.

"Hayley"

One whisper.

It was enough.

Air flooded into her lungs and she sprinted to him. He made it only two steps forward before she crashed into his arms. A sob of joy escaped her then as relief flooded every fiber of her being, his arms crushing her against him, her body shaking with both laughter and tears. She buried her face into his neck, breathing him in. How could she have forgotten his scent? It was as if he went on forever, his strong arms that lifting her from the ground.

She was not certain how much time had passed when he slowly let her slide down his grasp to the ground. The feeling of the earth under her feet bringing her back down to reality. His hands hands moving up her sides to frame her face. She focused on his face then, seeing the bright shine of his own unshed tears in his eyes as he searched her face, looking for clues of how she was, what she was feeling. One hand traced behind her head, along her neck, finding the long tail of her braided hair, moving down the length of it. He pulled it over her shoulder with a bittersweet look on his face. As if its' length was all that he needed to measure how long he had not been at her side.

It was at that exact moment that she remembered what she was wearing. She tugged her robe closed, seeing now Freya and Kol had joined them.

"I had imagined this moment with some more clothes." She said with slight embarrassment. Elijah laughed pressing a kiss to her forehead, unsure of his footing in front of his keenly observant niece.

Hope, who was now in Rebekah's arms, let a little squeak. Freya shivered at the same time, moving a little closer to her niece as the child closed her eyes for a second, smiling.

"Santiago and Sophia are helping me now! We can stay a long time now!" Freya looked to Hayley to translate, taking her niece into her own arms, trying to strengthen her link to the young pair of witches allowing themselves to be her niece's magical batteries.

Hayley smiled, leaning into Elijah as his hand moved around her waist. Unwilling to physically be apart from her just yet.

"So, while you have been gone, I've accidentally assembled a half-way house. Santiago and Sophia are a pair of witch twins, that I freed from their crazy grandmother, and then decided to just...stay with us. Kayla, a new werewolf I used to babysit as a kid. She came with Hollis one time he and his wife stayed to watch Hope, and then she also stayed." Hayley shook her head and smiled. "Then we have a vampire named Tosh who's adopted mom and sire was one of the Strix, and a brainiac scientist human named Quinn who was on the run from Kingmaker after she quit over...ethical objections."

Kol crossed his arms over his chest, taking a deep breath. "You've been busy."

Hayley nodded as they moved into enclosed porch, sitting down on the assortment of couches and chairs.

"I've had to be. The first year was the worst. Hope was so young and a few people got word of what happened and came to finish off the rest of the Mikaelsons..we were constantly on the run. But, about three months in Tosh found me, looking for Elijah. Turns out, in order to secure his plans for revenge, Marcel killed the rest of the Strix, who understandably objected to his intent to kill off their entire sireline. Tosh's sire was one of the casualties. She had told him that if anything ever happened to her, to come and find Elijah. So, having figured out what happened, he hacked into the network of accounts that fueled the Strix's money and locked Marcel out." Elijah nodded approvingly, having not realized the extent of the carnage that took place in Marcel's quest to end his family.

"He is an amazing fighter, and has saved my life more times than I can count. I've been lucky to find all of them. Your cures have been...complicated to assemble. They have need a mixture of magic and science that I would have never been able to manage on my own." She interlaced her fingers with Elijah's taking a deep slow breath for what she knew she was about to say next.

"This last trip...we have everything we need now."

"Are you saying you can wake us up?" Kol asked, leaning forward from his spot on the chair where he sat. Hayley nodded.

"I have the pieces, yes. When my searching led me to Quinn, she was able to generate a cure for Freya's poison within a week. I've had that cure for almost two years. But I couldn't wake her without breaking the spell to the rest of you, which would have killed you. Rebekah was next, I secured debt from a powerful siphoner Witch to draw the hex from Rebekah into a talisman." She smiled, looking up at the woman she had grown to see as a sister. "Sorry 'Bekah you now have one more ring that you are going to have to keep on the rest of your life." Rebekah smiled and shrugged, unconsciously rubbing the inside of her arm where her hex used to be.

Hayley's gaze moved from Elijah to Kol. "You two were the tricky part. In order to create a cure for Marcel's venom, we had to make essentially a more authentic version of what he is…" She rubbed her hands together nervously, knowing they may not very well like what she was about to say next. She chewed her lip, suddenly realizing the implications of her actions of the previous two years...in order to save them. She would have to become the one thing that the Mikaelsons had never before allowed to live. A creature more powerful than they. It was absurd to worry about it but...she couldn't keep it out of her heart.

Elijah, sensing her nervousness, but not its cause, nudged her knee gently with his own.

"Continue Hayley, please." He urged. Hayley took a breath, and squeezed his hand.

"Quinn could explain some of this better. But the gist is that, the Werewolf side of the magic used to create Lucien, and then Marcel...it was a patchwork job. It was blood, taken by force from the wolves, and thrown together. It is from that blood that the venom comes from. There was no cure because there was no way to ever recreate that particular mess of blood. So...to make that cure we had to make a pure wolf-blood version to combine with a hybrid from the Mikaelson line."

"That's why Mommy has been gone so much!" Hope offered from Freya's lap. Elijah's brows went up as he began to realize what she was saying, and the memory of a bright New Orleans morning, and Hayley in a red gown.. I'll never lie to her….

Hayley nodded.

"So I've spent the better part of eighteen months finding the rest of the wolf packs. I've secured a bond of fealty from them all, and blood, freely offered from the Alpha of every single pack. And with the help of both Quinn's science mojo and the Twin's magic, made their strength mine, the right way. This last trip, I have the final pack's contribution."

She looked up from the spot on the patio floor where she had been focused. The expressions she saw reflected back at her were varied, but on the whole, she saw no anger. To her surprise, it was Kol who spoke up first.

"I don't actually know you that well Hayley." He began, looking from her, to Hope, and back again. "But knowing what you have done to keep us safe, to save us. And what I have learned from these three during my time here, has taught me that if there is anyone who is going to have the power to keep all of us in check, it should be you." Kol offered quietly, cutting to the core of Hayley's fears instantly. Rebekah offered a small smile, nodding in agreement.

"I couldn't agree more." She offered, thinking of Hayley's quick thinking to wake her had been instrumental in saving them all.

Elijah looked from Hope's suddenly worried face to Hayley.

"What your doing is dangerous, isn't it?" He asked, not needing to see the vigorous nodding on Hope's part to know the truth. Hayley didn't try to deny it.

"Its…." She exhaled a shaking breath, remembering the pain from the last time she underwent the fusing. "Not without risk." She admitted diplomatically, not interested in engaging with a debate about what is or is not safe enough for her to do with Elijah all of ten minutes after being reunited with him.

Freya scooped up her niece, an old habit despite the girl was clearly fully ambulatory now, huffing at her heft. "Ok kiddo, enough of this serious grown-up stuff for you. The Twins are going to get tired in a little while, how about we go for a walk and you can tell us all about how they have been helping you with your magic huh? Besides your Mom and Uncle Elijah have alot to catch up on."

Hope smiled and wrapped her arms around Freya's neck, waving at her Mom.

Hayley smiled and waved back, hand moving to rest on the edge of her robe suddenly nervous as she found herself alone with Elijah for the first time since he had begged her to flee the city. She looked over at him, seeing him watching his niece as they moved out of sight, the little girl speaking quickly, hands drawing shapes in the air. He smiled warmly, turning finally to face Hayley.

When he looked at her then, one of his rare, beautiful smiles on his face, it was if no time had passed between them. He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against hers for a moment, their noses touching as they looked down at their joined hands, reveling in just being able to touch once again. Emotion began to well up in her throat when she began to let doubt creep into her heart. What if this last attempt failed...what if she never was able to hold him for real...what if after all this time..he didn't feel the same?

"I do." He offered quietly, voice sure and steady as she realized she had been speaking her fears aloud. He squeezed her hands tightly, nuzzling her face upwards to look him in the eyes. "You do not have it in you to fail Hayley. You have all of my faith, always." Breaking his hold on her hands, his own move to capture her face, thumbs moving along her cheeks, a gesture she had done so many times to him in his long slumber. "And my love."

 

To Be Continued


	3. Chapter Three

 

* * *

In brightly lit space of her lab, Quinn leaned forward over the benchtop, carefully loading each of the tiny wells of her gel she needed to run before she could get the serum ready for the procedure that afternoon. She had to be certain everything was perfect, with this being the last bloodline, there was precious room left on the key genes to get the placement they needed. She could hear Tosh as he came in, but she didn't shift her eyes away from the fine motor task at hand.

Tosh, seeing what she was doing, and having been yelled at by the petite redhead enough times for having a habit of "ninjaing in" at the worst possible times, took a seat quietly on the edge of one of the many bench-height stools. He watched as she finished pipetting a dark blue fluid into the device, appreciating the long-practiced precision of her small dextrous hands. Hope had spent many hours sitting in Quinn's lap watching cartoons with those same nimble fingers busying themselves with creating complicated hair styles.

Finishing the task, she put the lid down and turned on the power supply. Ejecting the pipet tip into a nearby biohazard bag along with her gloves, she leaned back against the bench, crossing her arms with a smile.

"So you _can_ be trained." She offered, pleased that he had not interrupted her. Tosh offered a slight seated bow in her direction.

"Indeed, it seems you have achieved the impossible." He offered a small smile. Observing she was wearing the same Doctor Who T-shirt and yoga pants under her lab coat that she had been wearing when he woke her up last night to hand over the blood sample, he realized that she must have never gone back to sleep. That would explain the two empty cans of Red Bull, and the pot of coffee he could hear brewing in the other room. Pushing herself off away from the counter she moved over to her computer and began entering some of the information she had scrabbled down on a notepad.

"How is it going down there?" She asked, not needing to elaborate on what she meant.

"Hard to say, but nothing appears to be amiss. Santiago and Sophia seem fine. I was surprised you were not down there to see what was going on." Quinn, newest of all of them to the Supernatural world was typically first in line to observe, her curious scientific mind always trying to understand where the boundaries between what she could explain with her science, and what was truly within the realm of magic. Quinn made a slight sound of disapproval.

"Yes well I did not see how adding another able bodied adult to small pile standing around to watch people sleep was at all productive. There is a lot to get done for this last round, and I can only assume getting to talk to him after all this time will do nothing but accelerate Hayley's decision to go through with this plan." Her tone was a little harsh, causing Tosh to frown. At times her clinical nature and sarcasm could bite a bit, but from the agitated movement of her body as she got up to get something out of the laboratory cabinet it was quite apparent that something was bothering the scientist.

 _Him._ Ah.

"Quinn.." He began, not unkindly. "Does this have anything to do with your…" he paused, debating on the wisdom of incurring his friend's wrath this early in the morning. Irritated hazel eyes peeked out from behind a well organized storage cabinet of chemicals and glassware.

"I'm going to stop you right there ninja boy." She said, using the nickname he hated, undoubtedly on purpose. "I will admit when I first joined up with this little Fellowship, I had a rather epic crush on her. Who wouldn't, she a fracking badass Werewolf queen who saved my bacon, and an amazing Mom, _and_ smokin hot, _and_ one hell of a friend." Quinn sunk into the massive beanbag chair by the window with a huff, looking out the window for a moment before she turned her gaze back to Tosh. "But once I realized homegirl not only swings one way, but is also one half of a Nicholas Sparks-level epic love story with an _Original_ vampire...I'm not an idiot Tosh." She let her head loll back, staring at the ceiling. "But I _do_ care about her, and the last time we did this, she almost died. And if something were to happen to her, if I've messed anything up…"

"You haven't."

She looked at her friend, his dark brown eyes calm and certain. She didn't see a shred of doubt there, and while she would never admit it to his face, she took some confidence from his certainty. But she could never let herself forget that it was her hubris to pursue cutting edge science, her knowledge and skill that had made Kingmaker's first prototype serum. She started this, whether she meant the cascade effect of chaos and death that followed or not. And she knew she couldn't just quit now when they were so close.

She just prayed that her friend would not have to pay the cost.

 

* * *

 

In the end, Hayley waited an additional two days before they began the final blood bond. The decision had not been entirely for selfish reasons, although she was fooling herself if the idea of sending Hope away so soon after returning home didn't factor in somewhat. Quinn had wanted an extra day to test a few things, and the Twins needed to rest after the journey and maintaining the link to Freya's spell. They had to be at a hundred percent, as this was likely to be the most difficult of the blood bonds to complete.

_To survive._

She amended silently, forcing memories of the excruciating agony from the last time to the back of her mind. If she thought about it too much, she worried she might chicken out. Anything that made the agony of turning and child birth seem like a gentle caress was not something she wanted to think about too much.

Curling around the sleeping form of her daughter, whom she had let just sleep in her own bed the last two nights. It was an indulgence she tried to not let her little snuggle bug get too used to. But given the circumstances, she didn't really care if it set bad precedent. Gently toying with a stray curl, Hayley couldn't help the unease she felt coiled in her belly. Burying her face in her daughter's hair, she just took long slow breaths, pulling her scent into her lungs, searing the memory of it into her mind. Her brave little cub.

Lifting her head up, she resting her cheek on the top of Hope's head, finally realizing what it was that was bothering her. For three years, she had been alone in making choices, practically speaking, when it came to herself, especially regarding Hope. But after tonight, that would all change. Assuming everything goes as planned, she would be not only welcoming back the Mikaelsons back into her life, she would be the architect of restarting the danger their presence inherently represented to her daughter's life.

 _Danger you are only safe from because of Klaus' sacrifice._ Came a chiding voice within her own mind. She knew it was selfish to think this way, but she knew that her thinking was not without a cold logic that even Klaus would understand. The world thought they were dead, and for all intensive purposes she was inviting chaos back into her child's life.

Looking out of her window, Hayley saw the warming light begin to filter through the trees outside of their home. She took in a long inhale, and released it as slowly as she could, willing away any thoughts of abandoning her mission with the breath.

Too many enemies had been made, in both her own short life, and certainly in the Mikaelsons', simply for deciding to do the easy thing, and not the right thing. To truly build a future for Hope, she knew what she had to do.

* * *

Kayla reached up to close the back hatch of Hayley's car, watching her Hayley's rigid movements as she checked through the luggage loaded, clearly fighting against the emotions rolling under the surface of her skin. Kayla listened carefully as Hayley ran her through the plan for about the 5th time, but refrained from saying anything. She knew that the Hybrid's repetitive lectures had nothing to do with her trust in the young Werewolf, and everything to do with her own anxiety about the next 24 hours.

Kayla wouldn't wish it on her worst enemies, never mind the woman she had grown up seeing as a big sister. She repeated the plan back to Hayley, verbatim, watching the older woman exhale a metered breath as she too reached up to close the hatch. If all went well, Hope would be back within a few days to a happy reunion. They had to keep focused on that.

When Hope finally came out of the house, Quinn, Tosh, and the Twins behind her, there were already big tears shining in those beautiful blue eyes. Her hair was pulled up in an elaborate series of braids, almost certainly an indulgence of Quinn to help cheer her up. Kayla couldn't help but smile, there was such a big person crammed in that little body of hers. It would be easier if she wasn't so smart, perhaps she could just be a little girl.

Santiago, never able to tolerate a tearful lady, shifted into one of his bird forms, a vibrant array of colors settling on the girl's shoulder, nuzzling along a ticklish ear. Unable to help herself, Hope did finally smile a little. Sophia smiled, tipping the little girl's chin up.

"Cheer up niña, do you think Santiago and I would ever let anything happen to your mamá?" She asked seriously, knowing that despite Santiago's efforts, humor alone would not assuage the little witch's fears. Hope gently pet Santiago's head, considering her tutor's words carefully for a moment. Squaring her little shoulders, she shook her head.

"No, I know you will do your best." She answered a little too shrewdly, causing Hayley to make a gentle admonishing sound as she scooped up her daughter. Santiago fluttered off the girl's shoulder and shifted back to human, standing next to his sister.

"Sweetie, you know that I'm not asking Kayla to take you to visit Grandma Mary because you are in trouble right?" Hayley asked seriously, seeing the waterworks locked and loaded behind her daughter's eyes. Now that she was in her Mom's arms, the lower lip begun to shake.

_3._

"But, _Mommy_ …"

_2._

"Sweetheart.."

_1._

"Mommy why are you sending me away?!" She burst out loudly, little body shaking as tears streamed down her face. "I can help! I've been practicing! Don't make me go!" She wailed, almost destroying the last ounces of willpower Hayley had left in her. Hugging her tightly, Hayley sank gracefully down to the worn stone of the driveway, pulling Hope into her lap. She made soft shushing sounds as she tried to help Hope get ahold of her strong emotions.

"Oh, my little brave little cub. I know how strong you are, don't ever think that I don't know that." Hope sniffled loudly, wiping her nose on her sleeve.

"I'm not a baby! I know what you're doing is scary! I'm brave. I _practiced!"_ Hayley looked up at her assembled little pack, sympathetic faces all. Every single one of them having up up against Hope's stubbornness and determination often. Hayley, knowing her hyper-rational daughter well, decided to take a different tact other than flattery. Wiping the little girl's tears away, she tilted her head up to look at her.

"I know you have been practicing hard sweetheart. This is not about that. Do you remember that I promised you that I would always tell you the truth, but that sometimes it would be hard?" She asked, a little nod came from the puddle of frazzled child in her lap. "This is one of those times." She paused, looking at the little panda roller luggage that Tosh was holding. Reaching out for it, he handed it over and she sat it down in front of them.

"Think of it like this. So you know how some truths are big, and some truths are little right?"

Hope nodded.

"Like that Daddy is trapped and we have to save him?" She asked, and Hayley nodded.

"Right, exactly. That is a big truth. There are bigger part of that truth, but they are even more heavy and would make you more sad and scared and worried about Daddy. So, for now, mommy is carrying them for you. Think of it like a big heavy suitcase. Sometimes there are really big things, that are super heavy. Too heavy for even a super strong girl like you. The spell that we need to do tonight is one of those really heavy things." She gave Hope a squeeze and a small smile. "So I promise I'll always tell you what those things are, but then I need you to let Mommy put them in that suitcase and carry them for you, just for a little while longer. Ok?"

Hope paused, considering her mother's words. Her little shoulders straightened then, and she took a breath, wiping moisture off her cheeks with the back of her hand.

"But when I'm big, you will let me carry them right?" She asked seriously. Hayley's heart hurt at how grown up such a little girl could be.

"I promise."

Hope crawled from her lap, wrapping her arms around Hayley's neck, squeezing her tightly.

"I love you Mommy."

Fighting the sob in her own throat, a mixture of pride and some other emotion she could not name, Hayley hugged her little girl tight.

"I'll I love you too baby. So so so much. I'll see you soon."

 

 

_To be continued!_


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Five

* * *

_It was time._

Hayley sat on the edge of her bed, curtain of her long hair hiding her face as she took deep measured breaths, willing herself to stand in the heavy silence of the house surrounding her.

In her hands was a little beaded bracelet Hope had made her. Long fingers slowly twisting at the colorful beads, each so carefully chosen by her little girl and arranged in an order of some significance known only to her clever mind. Hayley remembered the little girl recounting the reasons for her color choices, as her mother unwrapped the gift.

Silver beads for the moon, for the wolves. Red beads for the blood, for the vampires. Gold for the magic, the power of the witches. And clear, sparkly glass, for human sprit.

It was so simple for Hope. _I just want everyone to be happy._ Her voice, so innocent despite all the horror that had been done in her name drifted through Hayley's mind as she worked up the courage to stand. _Why do people have to be so angry? We live all live together mommy. Wolf and witch and vampire and human. It's not that hard!_

She could feel Quinn's hands at the crown of her head, pushing hair back and gently pinning it away from her face. Hands moving to rest silently on Hayley's shoulder. The Hybrid could hear the racing beat of the petite woman's heart. She was afraid too, but for different reasons. Hayley had always recognized Quinn's snark for what it was, a shield. Before anything else, Quinn was a kind person, the the idea she was about to hurt someone she cared about weighed heavily on the scientist.

Resting her hand on top of her friend's she gave it a squeeze.

"Let's get this over with." She offered Quinn a small smile, wondering when exactly she had become such a worrier. Hayley's whole life she had been the person that just _acted_ not letting fear stay her hands. Must be something to do with becoming a Mom. Or having people in her life she could truly call her family.

_Speaking of…._ she reminded herself, seeing Quinn waiting at the threshold of her bedroom. _Time to get back to saving their asses._ Closing her eyes for a moment, she called up memories of them, hoping to shake loose the weight holding her feet to the ground. Behind her closed lids, she saw them all. Klaus dozing with Hope on his chest, Elijah humming a line of some ancient melody as he made breakfast, a busy Saturday market with Rebekah. Her laughing the one morning Freya had convinced her to give yoga a try. Even Kol, whom she barely knew.

She opened her eyes, and stood, her hesitance fled with renewed determination to finish what she had started three years ago.

_It was time._

* * *

Cool damp air, gentle as a sip of water poured down Elijah's throat, as pressure in his chest demanded that he draw more of it deep into his lungs. Deep rushes of it, as long disused muscles began to function again from their frozen animation. Mouth opening to take in more of the air, the scent of cork, wood, and wine filled his mouth came with it, unusually powerful in their intensity. Eyes opening slowly, Elijah found the low light behind his eyelids tolerable, as he blinked several times, willing the long unused sense into focus. Above him he could see a curved brick ceiling, arching down to dark wooden shelves filled with dusty bottle of wine.

Part of his mind all too familiar with waking up from a long slumber, and he wondered why the chief concern that always filled him upon waking was absent. The consuming hunger, that drove him from the moment he awoke was silent, sated. Turning his head slightly, he immediately saw the reason why.

Two blood bags, largely empty were suspended from a small stand, the tubing running down to a needle in his own vein. The oddity of this particular sight was enough to get his mind churning at a faster pace. He needed to understand. With great effort he began pushing away the cobwebs in his groggy mind, letting his higher mind regain control. As if moving through heavy sand, he managed finally to sit up, hands grasping the edge of the casket tightly.

Hand moving to the IV in his opposite arm, he saw the blood that flowed into him was barely moving, the pressure sluggish from the nearly empty bags hanging above him. Gripping the needle and medical tape, he pulled it from his arm. Lifting the needle closer to his still unfocusing eyes, he saw a single bead of blood well up on the needle tip. Curious, he touched it to his lips. Warmth and power flooded through him as the taste of very familiar blood on his tongue.

_Hayley._

Memories snapped back then his conscious mind asserted its control once again. The sounds of his waking siblings filling his ears, as he emerged from his mental solitude. Twisting himself around, he pulled his knees underneath him and sat up and looking over the lid of his own casket.

Kol was stirring, but not yet awake a similar pair of blood bags were connected to him via IV. Rebekah was already standing, leaning on her casket for support as she held a blood bag to her lips, draining it in slow even draws. Freya was being gently lifted out of her casket by someone Elijah did not recognize, a warm mug of what smelled like tea cradled in her shaking hands. He moved to her side without thinking, working with the stranger to help set her down into the chair waiting for her. A small platter of toast slathered with her favorite hazelnut spread was on a small table next to the chair. The stranger appeared to be in his early twenties, but Elijah could tell he was a vampire by the ease and grace in which he had lifted Freya. Upon seeing it was Elijah who assisted him, he took a step backwards and bowed deeply at the waist.

"Toshishiro Miyamoto." He introduced himself formally, the surname sparking in Elijah's memory. A beautiful woman and dedicated scholar…

"Satchiko Miyamoto.." He offered gently, remembering that if this was the Tosh he had heard Hayley and Hope speak of, that his old friend was surely dead, and was someone Tosh clearly loved. Killed trying to save Elijah's life, and by extension, her own and that of Tosh. Hearing her name, recovered from a memory of so many lives, brought a sad smile to Tosh's face.

"My ancestor, teacher, and sire." He looked up at Elijah. "She would be glad to know her name remained in your long memory." Tosh replied, drawing himself back to his full height.

Rebekah, done feeding set the empty bags in her coffin and moved to check on Kol, who was taking deeper and deeper breaths as he moved closer to consciousness. He had been so much farther along when they succumbed to Freya's sleep spell, the venom deep in his brain. It was no wonder it was taking longer to heal him. Freya set her tea down and reached for the toast, she took a small bite to test the constitution of her weak stomach.

Seeing the color appearing in cheeks with every passing moment, Elijah suddenly remembered who would be the only person around who would know Freya's breakfast food of choice. The same person whose blood lingered on his lips and was singing through his veins. He looked to Tosh.

"Where is she?" He asked knowing he did not need to clarify who he was speaking about. The look that settled on the young vampire's face at the mention of Hayley made Elijah's heart clench, remembering her own words. _Not without risk._

"I'll take you to her." Tosh offered, moving to the door of the wine cellar where they had been sleeping. Freya nodded in his direction, her voice barely audible. "Go, we will come when we can."

Tosh moved up the stairs two at a time with an easy grace, into the hallways of an old southern-style home. Well maintained, and thoroughly lived in, Elijah caught glimpses of a life he had missed as he slept through it below. Towards the back of the house in what clearly had once been a large sunroom, was a laboratory.

Brightly lit despite the night outside, the room was filled with scientific and medical equipment. At its center was a gurney with a single prone form laying upon it, terrifyingly still. A cheery blue blanket draped over her, a bright auburn-haired woman grasped at Hayley's hand, watching the EEG readout that was monitoring Hayley's brain activity.

He shook his head slowly, willing the sight before him to disappear with some more kindly vision, a denial spilling softly from his lips. The woman next to Hayley startled slightly at him then, turning to reveal exhausted eyes, rimmed red from crying. Taking a breath to calm himself, he pushed away the irrational urge to harm anyone responsible for Hayley being in this state. Trying to keep the fact that these people were Hayley and Hope's closest friends in the forefront of his mind. As well as the knowledge everything that could have led to to her current state was done at Hayley's own request. Despite his efforts, he could not quite keep the tension out of his voice when he spoke.

"Please…" He pulled her name from his memory of Hayley's description. "Quinn. Please explain." He requested, moving to the opposite side of the gurney, alarmed to see that Hayley's eyes were open, but empty, staring off into nothingness.

Quinn took a deep breath, wiping away the remnants of tears from her eyes as she looked up at him. The man this woman, whose hand she clutched so tightly had sacrificed so much, possibly everything to save. She stood a up a little taller, taking his measure. Deep with intelligence, his eyes were heavy with worry. And more guilt than Quinn could have ever imagined.

"This was the hardest of all of the blood bonds, both from the magic and science perspective. We almost lost her twice, changing who she is...forcing those changes into her very DNA with magic, even with the strength of healing her vampire side gives her, she started to desiccate. In many ways we had to _undo_ her very nature in order to rebuild those bonds. She is no longer just one bloodline of wolves. Or one bloodline carried through her blood always because magic. In order to forever surpass what Lucien's serum was, she had to become more. As of tonight, she effectively has made herself into a progenitor of all seven packs. An _Original_ Werewolf."

Elijah listened carefully to Quinn's words as pulled at a small strand of hair, stuck to the side of her Hayley's face. Tucking it back, he felt the dampness of drying sweat along her scalp. He was careful to avoid the EEG sensor on her temple, looking from her blank expression to the almost manic activity representing Hayley's brain waves on the screen. Quinn could see he picked up on the disconnect immediately.

"In the past, has always woken up disoriented from each bond procedure. Sometimes she was furious and violent, sometimes beyond herself with grief, other times depressed. Once.." a small smile crossed Quinn's face at the memory. "She woke up with the biggest belly laugh I had ever seen out of her. But that is why, after the first time we did this, she always sends Hope away for a few days, so she can make sure she has her head on right before she is around her daughter." Quinn swallowed down emotion at the mention of Hope, how hard she struggled with Hayley's current state telling Elijah everything he needed to know about how genuine this woman's friendship with Hayley was.

"And this time?" He prompted voice heavy, hands moving to trace the line of her brow with his thumb. Quinn looked at the readout of the EEG, exasperated she stood, setting Hayley's hand down and walking away, movements agitated.

"I don't know! It worked. The Twins felt it the moment the bond was complete. She healed almost instantly. Her body is completely fine, her mind…" she gestured at the readings. "According to this, she is so damn awake she could be composing a freaking symphony, but…"

"She remains silent." Elijah finished for the scientist. He looked to the unused blood bags lying empty next to Hayley. He nudged them, looking to Quinn.

"Hayley left pretty specific instructions. If anything happened, but we thought her blood could help...we had to try. When it was clear that it worked on you and Kol after I administered those IVs, I asked Tosh to give Freya the cure. So we could wake all of you up. I hoped that maybe you…" She gestured to Hayley.

Elijah nodded, taking her meaning instantly. Leaning up against the gurney, he gently peeled the sensors off of her, handing them to Quinn as the lines on the machine reading flat with the loss of signal. Fingers tracing across her over-warm skin, he reached out to her mind with his own.

She was a raw nerve. Shattered edges of her mind misaligned as fury and terror in equal measure overwhelmed her.

With a hiss of surprise he withdrew his hand, surprised by sheer force at which she shut him out. His face contracting anger at the agony she was in, to save him, he could barely control the fury that began to boil under his skin. She was trying to protect him still. Her stubbornness was infuriating.

Shaking his head hard to dispel the ache even a moment of contact with her mind caused, he took a deep breath, setting himself to the task at hand.

"What she had endured….her mind is fractured and overwhelmed with trying to set it right." Elijah offered, his voice was heavy with his own guilt. After everything she had endured to free them, he would not allow her to be lost and alone within her own mind.

He looked outside, seeing a bright full moon high in a clear night sky. He was suddenly aware of the mechanical sounds in the room, humming of electricity and lights. Scents of the house, laboratory chemicals were almost offensive in their intensity. Was this the effect of so much of Hayley's wolf blood in his system?

Now that he was attuned to it, he couldn't shut it out, the strength of the sounds and smells were close to overwhelming him. He couldn't imagine what it was doing to Hayley, they had to get outside. He could feel the moon tugging at them and without thinking, he he leaned forward once more, picking her up inside the heavy blanket.

And the space of a breath, they were gone.

 

 

 

_To Be Continued..._


	5. Five

 

 

It did not take Elijah long before he found a small lake behind the property, the full moon shining bright in the sky with its twin reflecting in the dark waters below. It was quiet here, only the soft sounds of nature and the wild around them. Sinking gently to his knees in the compact sand of the shore he could feel her body relax slightly in his arms, some corner of her mind finding solace in nature. Unwrapping the blanket, he picked her up so he could sit down on the blanket himself, settling her into his lap. With one hand under her back holding her to him, his other caressed her face.

"Let me in my love." He pleaded gently, trying not to let fear wash over him. How could she have overcome so much to save them, just to be lost now? In the few years he had been lucky enough to have her in his life, there were far too many false starts. Too many almosts. "Please Hayley. You have carried so much for so long. Let me help."

He bent forward, pressing a gentle kiss on her lips, nuzzling his forehead against hers in the manner she had once done to him in a troubled moment, the memory of the warm light by the fire of his study in the Quarter passing through his mind. _Please._ He whispered against her skin.

Taking a breath to shore himself against the chaos he knew to be inside her, he pushed against the threshold of her mind, relieved to find it open for him this time. The feeling of being unsettled overwhelmed him, surprising him with the power of nausea that hit him even without a physical body. Disorienting and jarring, Elijah found world inside her mind constantly shifting between thoughts and moments beneath his feet. It was if she had lost her center, and was drowning in her own memories.

Quinn's words echoed in his thoughts, as he realized that it was not only her body they had to break apart to piece back together with the blood of the Seven Packs. It was her mind.

_Hayley, in her early teens living in the back woods with a ragged pack of other young wolves. Picking a fight with a bigger kid, and winning for a can of food. Surrendering that same can to a skinnier little girl than she._

_**Shift.** _

_The horrified eyes filled with disgust from step-parents at what she had become. Trust and safety they had provided ripped away._

_**Shift.** _

_Hayley, in her early teens living in the back woods with a ragged pack of other young wolves. Picking a fight with a bigger kid, and winning for a can of food. Surrendering that same can to a skinnier little girl than she._

_**Shift.** _

_A little dark haired girl hiding in the shadow of a large man standing over her with a closed fist._

_**Shift.** _

_Laughing and young as she danced on a bar, pouring drinks down the throats of men, far too old for her._

 

A small whine startled him from visions of Hayley's past. Elijah turned to see a large wolf behind him laying down on its side. Recognizing Hayley in her wolf form instantly, he went to his knees beside her as she lifted her head to acknowledge him. Running his hands through the coarse coat, he buried his fingers in the scruff of her neck, holding fast. He looked into her golden eyes, so familiar, pained and exhausted.

"You are having a hard time putting it together?" He asked quietly. She leaned her head back down on the ground, a quiet whine escaping her chest. Elijah could sense a deep weariness in her, understanding now why she could not wake up. Her body had healed, but her mind was too exhausted to complete the task of piecing back what the spell and science had shattered.

For the first time thankful for the rest his long sleep had provided his own battered mind, Elijah concentrated on gathering up his own strength. With a slow exhale he closed his eyes and pushed it towards her exhausted spirit like an offering, bolstering her dwindling strength.

He could feel the memories, almost like a force of wind as they moved past him. Slow at first, then faster and faster as the breeze of her very mind caressed against his own. He kept his eyes closed, trying to let her preserve her privacy, so much of who she was on display, without the luxury of filter. He of all people knew how important it was to preserve your mind's own boundaries. He was so focused on keeping his eyes shut, he failed to notice when the coarse fur beneath his fingers shifted to soft skin, the breeze slowing to almost a standstill. Fingers moved to touch his face, almost startling him.

"Elijah." She spoke softly, her voice holding a gentle playfulness that relaxed him instantly. "I want to share something with you, something that I won't show anyone else."

He opened his eyes, seeing familiar hazel orbs gazing at him above a the ghost of a smile. He returned it with one of his own, almost giddy to see her well. Elijah's gaze shifted upwards, the sight that he found there more beautiful than anything he had ever seen.

* * *

 

_It was a gorgeous summer evening. The heat of the day giving way to a breeze with the first hints of the coming fall. The whole world was bathed in stunning rich tones of browns and greens and oranges. People gathered about in formal clothing, laughing. Explosions of colors as beautiful arrangements of flowers hung from trees with glowing lanterns. A flash of bright blonde hair, dark skin and a brilliant smile. Rebecca and Marcel dancing…_

_A couple glimpsed for a moment as they snuck off into the woods, a flash of Kol's mischievous grin and a petite woman with dark wavy tresses._

_A bolstress explosion of laughter from Freya and Klaus as they watched Hope-almost a woman grown- with a riot of bright pink hair, cast a spell on an unsuspecting Vincent, drenching him in champagne._

_A half vocalized chastisement from Hayley, resplendent in white lace and silk, was silenced by a smiling kiss from Elijah, gold ring glinting on his finger as he buried his hands in the curls piled thick at the base of her neck._

* * *

 

 

Elijah, overwhelmed by the sight of his greatest wish-true peace-made manifest slammed him back into his conscious mind, warm night air flooding his lungs.

His whole body shaking with the vision still burning behind his eyes, he looked down to see Hayley, fully awake in his arms. She reached up to the hand that cradled her face and lifted it, pressing a kiss to his palm, returning the endearment he had given her so many years past. How many times had she thought of gentle strength of his love in simple gestures. When he spoke, his voice trembled with the emotion stirring in his chest.

"What was that?" He asked, voice whisper soft in fear speaking of it could break his hold of the memory in his mind, like a fading dream. Hayley leaned her cheek into the palm of his hand as she looked out over the black waters of the lake.

"I'm not sure. A hope possibly, or a dream….I saw it the first time we performed a blood bond, so I thought that with all the magic involved, I thought it may be a true vision. But... after what happened with the prophecy…." Her voice trailed off, but he knew what she was thinking.

If this was something more than a dream, a prophecy born of the powerful magics needed to change Hayley's blood, it could be very dangerous. A lesson hard learned three years past. By fighting to prevent a prophecy, they had only managed to force it into fruition. Would the opposite hold? Would trying to force a vision into being, simply prevent it from becoming real?

Hayley seeming to pick up on his very thoughts turned in his lap slightly so her chest pressed against his.

"For me, it was enough just to hold it as a dream." She swallowed hard, trying to reign in her own heightened emotions. "To hope that after so much pain, and so many terrible things, that we could be happy. That people like us could be loved…" She released a shaky breath, searching his eyes for some sign of his thoughts.

"Hayley." He admonished softly, fingers moving along the edge of her jaw. He realized that for all of his many years, he couldn't find the words he needed to help her understand just how badly he wanted her dream to become real too.

Mouth capturing hers on instinct more than anything else, he realized that he didn't need words. From the moment he had met her, sometimes their best communication had always been without them. She responded to him immediately, sighing almost in relief against his mouth, body arching against him. Tongues slowly exploring, tasting every edge, rediscovering.

Running the edge of her teeth along his lip, she pulled away from him. Standing slowly, she tested herself, glad to find her limbs strong as she drew herself to her full height. Her newfound power coiling with rising desire low in her belly. She took a step back and reached down to the edge of her shirt, pulling it up over her head, exposing her pale skin to the moonlight.

Elijah moved up to his knees as she stepped up to him. Pressing soft kisses along her abdomen, he hooked his fingers into the waistband of her leggings and panties. Drawing them down slowly, he rested his hand on her hip to steady her as she stepped out of them, feet already bare. Standing only in a black lace bra, she reached out to him then, pulling him up beside her. Eyes locked onto his, her hands moved to unbutton his shirt as he kissed her again as she tugged it from his trousers and off his shoulders.

She leaned her forehead against his chest then, giving him better access to remove her bra as she went to unbuckle first his belt, then his trousers. Slipping off her final article of clothing and dropping it off the blanket next to his shirt, Hayley moved to kneel down on the blanket, smiling at Elijah's curious look. Unlacing his shoes, she helped him out of each, just as he had assisted her out of her own clothing.

Naked before each other, he reached down for her hand, pulling him up to him once more. She stepped into his embrace then, resting her head against his shoulder, taking in deep breaths of his scent. Her breasts pressed against his chest is it rose with his own deep breaths, the fullness of his erection pressed hard against her. They were not sure how long they stood like that, with nothing between them, just taking deep comfort in being _together_.

Elijah's hands spanning across her naked back, thumbs drawing slow circles as he turned his head to capture a kiss once again, as comfort slowly gave way to rising passion.

One hand moving behind his neck to encourage his kiss, her other moved lower, needing to feel the fullness of him in her hand. Wrapping her hand firmly around his cock, she squeezed him slowly, gently tugging upwards.

The sound he made into her mouth in that moment sparked a powerful feeling in Hayley that she had not allowed herself to entertain in a very long time. All of those endless heated daydreams, so long unrequited began to swell up in her once again. Distracted by her thoughts, she was surprised by the barely gentle tug at her hair, forcing her to look up at him. 

The heady mix of love and desire she found in those dark eyes of his reminded her that she was not alone in feeling as she did. His need matching her own. Tugging her head back just a little more to expose her neck, he bent down to the long lines of her throat, alternating between sucking at its hollows and placing small agonizingly gentle bites along the sinew to her collarbones.

While one hand held fast at her hair, his other made it way south. So distracted by the lavish attention being paid to her neck she was caught by surprise when his fingers slipped between her wet folds. She cried out softly then, body shuddering hard against him.

Lifting his head to watch her face as he slipped one digit, and then two inside of her slick heat, thumb moving in gentle circles over her clit. Her eyes were closed, surrendering to his ministrations. They had only be lovers twice before, but even then Hayley had come to understand that Elijah's iron clad control had an unexpected boon when it came to his lovemaking.

His relentless pursuit of her pleasure.

Calculating almost in his desire to pull orgasms from her before ever entertaining his own endgame. He watched her face growing more wild as he slipped another digit inside of her and she ground herself against his palm. The sounds spilling from her beautiful mouth making him harder still. Setting loose her wildness, not for the sake death or pain, but purely for pleasure and love satisfied him in a way he couldn't describe.

Abruptly he removed his hand, causing a small whimper from her at the loss of the friction she craved.

Unceremoniously he picked her up, and deposited her gently down on the blanket. Leaning in to kiss her once more, nipping gently at her lip, he pulled back when she reached for his cock, smiling at the pouty look she gave him when he denied her. 

 _Not yet._ His playful look seemed to say as he straddled her on all fours. Moving down, his mouth moved to place kisses along her collarbone, then to her breasts. Place his weight largely on his elbow, he lay on his belly between her thighs. Pulling a sensitive nipple into his mouth, his tongue flicked gently across the peak, circling the pink flesh of the areola. Blowing cool air gently across the newly heated flesh he reveled drew soft sighs of pleasure from her. Making slow progress at checking off the mental list of pleasures he had in mind for his lover, compiled over their long absence. Paying equal attention to the other breast, his other hand splayed open across her belly, thumb absently rubbing against her navel.

Drawing his weight to his knees he continued his attentions, kissing his way down her stomach. He grinned as she hissed irritation at his gentleness, and rewarded her by dragging his teeth along her hip, nipping almost painfully along the inside of her thigh. Hayley sighed then, allowing her head to roll back, surrendering entirely to him and the intentions she knew he had next.

He waited only a moment to allow himself the pleasure of seeing her so, perfection beneath the moon, laid open to him. Searing the moment into his memory, he bent down to her then, touching her clit with the tip of his tongue. Teasing once, twice, three times until she whimpered her impatience. Sucking it gently into his mouth, his skilled tongue danced across it. Alternating between teasing, gentle ministrations to intense vibrations as he hummed low against the sensitive nub as a one hand moved to bury itself in his hair. She moaned deeply then, loud as her other hand grabbed the blanket for purchase.

One hand moving to support her lower back, he released her clit then with a soft _pop_  sound, tongue moving to dip inside of her pussy, probing her as he took in her sweet taste. Already close from earlier, he could feel her thighs begin to quiver against his unshaven cheek as she teetered on the edge. Running his tongue along the sensitive outside edge of her labia, he smiled against her as pulled her clit into his mouth at the same time he drove two digits deep inside her.

She came apart beneath him then, back arching off high the blanket with the strength of the orgasm that slammed through her.

Waiting until her back relaxed, he moved beside her, laying against the length of her as she slowly came back down to earth. When she finally had enough wits to look at him properly, the amount of smug on his beautiful face made her laugh unexpectedly. Grinning her contentment, he leaned down to kiss her, and she could taste herself on his tongue.

A long moment passed before she broke the kiss, finally speaking as she wrapped a long leg over his hip, rolling her pelvis slightly towards him, pressing his cock against her. He seemed to read her silent question, nudging her head upward so he could gain access to her throat, his fingers pulling almost harshly at her hips grinding himself against her belly.

"We are not going back to that house until dawn."

Liking that his control was begging to slip, Hayley turned slightly to look at the horizon, glad to see that the sun was hours away.

 

 

 

_To be continued....._


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so terribly sorry at my lack up updates!! I'll leave the excuses as to why aside and just say that I am back and looking forward to continuing this story. :) This is a shorter update just to get back into the swing of writing again! Enjoy!

 

Hayley watched quietly as the bright light of morning broke over the surface of the mountain lake that had been their refuge, if only for a few hours. It was many of a beautiful sight that she had so rarely allowed herself to enjoy in the years since she had assumed stewardship of the entire Mikaelson clan. Just a little while longer perhaps...until they could have a little peace. The wolf in her--a stronger presence now than ever--craved peace for her pack. The simple joy of the hunt and howl...a pack healthy and free. War was not truly in her nature. A little ruckus perhaps. But not war. Her hair, a loose and tangled mess, blew across her shoulders as she her rubbed her arms to chase away a chill that had nothing to do with the morning air.

After a moment, Elijah’s strong arms encircled her from behind, squeezing her tightly as if he sensed the shift in her mood. She let out a long shuddering breath, thankful beyond measure that she had the comfort of Elijah’s council again. And his love.  

“What troubles you?” He asked quietly, resting his cheek against the side of her head. She nuzzled against the pressure for a moment before she responded.

“I’m afraid.” She offered simply, surprised at the relief at being able to admit her inner thoughts to someone so easily. Feeling him tense slightly, she continued, seeking to clarify. 

“The first time we were together...after...I got married. The second time….you all basically died and I was alone. This time…” she swallowed, “it’s dumb I know...I’m just afraid the second we go back…”

Elijah chuckled softly, turning her in his arms.

“If you make some joke about the third time is…” She began, only to find herself silenced with a soft kiss. 

“Hayley. Your dream has given me something, that I never truly let myself believe, that we could have more together, you and I. More than a brief moment of stolen happiness. That we can create a true real future together for this family, more beyond this constant state of conflict. Something that I understand now that we cannot force into being, but must built and earned. We will not have the same fate is before. I swear it.”

 Hayley searched his face for a long moment, seeing the full weight of a promise from Elijah Mikelson behind his words. She nodded, accepting it and resting her forehead against his lips. She took a deep calming breath in, and released it slowly.

 

“Let’s get to work then.”

 

* * *

 

Hayley had not set more than one foot into the house before she was nearly tackled by Quinn and Sophia, the two shorter women wrapping the hybrid up in a giant hug. Elijah took several steps back to give them room, a ghost of a smile crossing his features seeing the genuine happiness on these young strangers’ faces. People who he knew he owed much, not only for the love and companionship they undoubtedly shared with Hayley, but whatever role they had played in keeping his family safe, and finding a cure. He was not accustomed to being indebted to the kindness of strangers, and he was uncertain how he felt about that particular feeling.

Quinn took a step back and immediately took Hayley’s wrist, checking her pulse as she slipped into her role of caretaker.

“How are you feeling, tell me everything.” She asked her face growing serious.

Hayley smiled and grasped the woman’s wrist, removing it from hers gently.

“I’m fine Quinn. I promise we can do a full check up later, but right now we need to get everyone settled in and make a plan.”

The scientist gave Hayley an appraising eye for a moment before she nodded and stepped back. Hayley turned to Sophia and grasped her shoulder.

“How are you and Santiago doing?” Hayley asked, concern in her voice. Sophia, whose normally deep olive completion was decidedly a little grey, nodded, her smile not quite reaching the dark circles beneath her eyes.

“We are fine, nothing that some rest and good food can’t cure.”

 “I think the whole witch contingent is in the same boat actually.”  Freya added as she came into the kitchen, lightly supported by Kol. She too looked a little grey.

Hayley smiled and stepped to embrace Freya and then Rebekah, glad to be able to feel them in her arms. She nodded to Kol, still unsure of her footing with the Original she new the least.

 As the group assembled quietly around the large marble top island in the kitchen, Santiago and Tosh entered then, with witch moving straight to the refrigerator, pulling it open while Tosh put a large tablet in the middle of the counter, angling the screen so it was clearly displaying Hayley. He smiled.

 “You have a very anxious caller.” He hit connect and Hope’s worried face filled the screen.

“Mommy!” Her little voice exclaimed, anxiety clear in the timbre. Hayley’s face lit up seeing her daughter as she leaned in closer to the camera.

“It worked baby! They are all awake!!” She grinned and picked up the tablet and panned it around to show the group assembled in their kitchen. She could here Kayla and even Mary make sounds of celebration outside of the frame of the camera.

“When can I come home?!?!” Hope asked, already hopping up and down with excitement. Hayley’s smile faltered a bit, as she considered the question as she look to Elijah for a moment. They had a lot to figure out still.

“We’ll see you soon, Hope, in a few days either you and Miss Kayla will come back here or we will be coming down to you. We just need to figure out a plan, and as soon as we do I’ll call you and we will let you know.”

Elijah watched as Hope opened her mouth the protest, but then thought better of it merely nodded instead. She didn’t look happy about it, but she did not protest either. He wondered if that patience was something that was learned, or if she had somehow not inherited Niklaus’ temper. His niece bid everyone a farewell and the screen blanked out.

Santiago set two dozen eggs and a bag full of onions and peppers on the table. Without a word Elijah leaned over to pick up the knife and cutting board, while Tosh pulled out a large mixing bowl and whisk. Kol, ripping open the bag of veggies spoke first.

 “So, at the risk of uttering words I never thought I would say…How are we going to save our dear brother?”

 Hayley sighed and turned to grab a brown pastry box behind her, setting it down on the island. She flipped up the lid and a half-smile at the small squeal that came out of Freya at the chocolate croissants that were nestled inside.

 “The first order of business will be to get our eyes on New Orleans again. We’ve managed to stay hidden this long by totally withdrawing. Aside from Mary and occasional update from the pack when they venture in from the Bayou, we don’t know the lay of the land anymore.” She plucked the biggest croissant in the box and took a bite, chewing for a moment before continuing. She was starving, but oddly, not for blood.

“After you fell asleep, I had to get out of town fast, but I was able to lay down a few false trails. As far as Marcel knows, Elijah and Kol are dead, desiccated the night of Klaus’ trial. Rebekah, he at least went looking for once he had dispersed the Klaus mob. But he lost track of her quickly with all the compelled clues I left throughout the city. Vincent was furious with him about how it all went down, and none of the witches would cross their new leader to help Marcel track us. So for all he knows, Rebekah went bonkers and took off.”

“He is still looking for you.” Tosh spoke up as he continued to crack eggs into the large mixing bowl, his calm dark eyes leveling at Rebekah. “I’ve been periodically hacking into his network to check in on his internet browsing see if he has resumed looking for Hayley or Hope. Thus far he has seemed content to let them go without any attempt at retribution. With Rebekah, he keeps track of murders in the region. He’ll hire out PI’s to check out ones that he think may have been related to Rebekah.”

“To a ripper you mean.” Rebekah offered, eyebrows raised. “I have to say, I’m a little touched.” She pouted a little as she reached over for her own pastry. Hayley offered a small sympathetic smile, having forgotten how much she missed that sass.  

“I compelled a few fisherman who were headed down to Mexico to leave some dock gossip that two women and a baby boarded a ship headed to South America. One of the women had been very sick,” Hayley looked to Freya, “and died on the way, and they had helped the single mother bury her friend at sea.”

Kol nodded approvingly. “Let me guess you headed north?” Hayley nodded.

“In a moving van filled with coffins.” She confirmed, looking to Tosh. 

“Tosh, you take point on going back to the Quarter and getting the lay of the land, you are unknown there and know how to blend in.” Hayley commanded gently, as the rest of the Mikaelsons took in the subtle shift of power that had occurred. Santiago and Sophia stepped forward. “We will go as well. If our suspicions our correct, we will need to be there to sense what Tosh cannot. In our animal forms our faces will not be recognized when we return later.” He stated smoothly, the twin gazes leveling on Hayley, a well known conversation passing silently between them. Elijah watched as Hayley considered their words for a moment before nodding her agreement, concern returning to her face.

 “Ok, but _be careful._ ” Tosh nodded crisply.

 

* * *

 

Elijah watched silently from a distance as Quinn methodically put Hayley through a series of tests and exams. The young scientist was competent and through, her movements certain and precise as she made careful notes of everything as she went. Elijah’s eyes scanned slowly over the piles of organized paper and data that were arranged neatly throughout the lab, unable to quell the concern he felt at its accumulation. 

“It discomforts you, to see information about us compiled so.” Tosh offered quietly from behind him. Elijah turned slightly, leveling his gaze on the vampire as he worked to pack items for his own trip. Elijah recalled Tosh’s sire had a similar quality of being disconcertingly perceptive. The Original looked back towards the two women and nodded once, not bothering to hide his feelings on the matter. Tosh exhaled evenly.

“The world is changing faster and faster now. While you slept, humans have come closer and closer to knowing about the supernatural world. There are endless groups online compiling information of their own, sharing stories. We can no longer afford remain ignorant to understanding what science can tell us about who we are. About what it can do to help us…”

“Or harm us.” Elijah offered, but his voice remained neutral. Tosh was not entirely wrong, it was a desire to gather knowledge, good or bad that had been rooted in his desire to create the Strix all those years ago. Tosh zipped up his computer bag and moved to stand beside Elijah, his own gaze settling on the two women, a look of soft fondness and respect in his eyes.

 “Hayley, Hope, and I had been on the run for a year, the last of Klaus’s enemies still hounding us, and Hope was becoming weaker and weaker as she aged. Hayley was growing desperate. In a moment of weakness we were ambushed by human members of Kingmaker who had decided that Lucien’s brand of subjugation was all they needed to justify killing every supernatural being they found after they were freed from his compulsion. Quinn saved saved us, asking only that we destroy her research to keep it from abuse, and set her free from her captors." Tosh wrapped a power cable into a neat knot and stuffed it in an outer pocket.

"Quinn could have left us then, free and clear. But when she saw how sick Hope was, she stayed. She diagnosed that Hope’s weakness was due to her Vampirism activating, leading to severe iron deficiency. Identified that vampirism has a genetic imprint, not only a magical one. Quinn's blood was the first and only blood that has passed to Hope, kept her strong and thriving. And when Hope grew old enough to understand the price of her needs, it was Quinn who helped her be unafraid and offered her blood freely and without shame.” Tosh looked back to Elijah, eyes slightly cooler as if offering the smallest challenge to the man his sire so revered, as if daring him to find fault in a respected friend. “If there was ever someone we could trust with this knowledge, it is Quinn.”  

Elijah’s gaze locked with Tosh’s for a moment before he nodded, content for now to trust the word of this stranger. Tosh had no reason to lie about something Elijah could easily verify with Hayley. And if Quinn had indeed given his niece strength, comfort, and kindness the least he could offer in return was his trust. He squeezed Tosh's shoulder, seeing a ghost of the woman he had been friends with centuries ago in his features. He wondered which of her many human sisters had borne the line of ancestors that led to the man who stood before him now. 

"Thank you for the sound council Tosh, I see that Satchiko passed her wisdom to you well." 

Surprised at the unexpected mention of his beloved mentor's name, Tosh smiled broadly. He bowed once, deeply, and departed. 

 

 

To be continued....

 

Thanks for hanging in there with me! 


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